At The North Left in resurgent Santa Ana, chef Aron Habiger, who previously helmed The Crosby in the same location, joined forces with chef-owner Ryan Adams (Three Seventy Common) on an even more ambitious restaurant. I’m not quite sure what to make of the conjoined twin logo with three eyes and two noses, and find the stuffed bear above the door disturbing, but the staff sure is welcoming, and the “rustically refined” food is highly approachable. Habiger also fits some fun into the menu on dishes like Ham & Biscuits ($11).
The North Left pastry chef Ashley Guzman’s crisp-coated, buttery biscuits take pig form and arrive brushed with duck fat and finished with sea salt. A sizable wood cutting board also hosts biscuit-friendly accouterments like silky, fat-rimmed prosciutto shavings, whipped butter topped with crispy crushed bacon, dark wildflower honey, and a dollop of spicy Dijon mustard. Some combinations work better than others, but you can’t go wrong.
Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.
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